


Friends in Low Places

by whythursdaynext



Series: King Pride's Rowdy Dive (Charity for All) [1]
Category: NCIS: New Orleans
Genre: A little Lasalle acting, A little Percy background, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, This would have to happen sometime before the finale obviously, i guess, technically
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-06-07
Packaged: 2018-07-12 23:04:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7127053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whythursdaynext/pseuds/whythursdaynext
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When one of Sonja's old ATF contacts comes into Pride's bar, Chris helps her maintain cover. And you know where his brain's at.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friends in Low Places

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I enjoyed writing the last Persalle fic I wrote so much, that I've now decided to do a series of them, because it's not like I have a bunch of requests from other fandoms backlogged, or a real life AT ALL. Basically, I'm trash, but there's going to be more Persalle in this world so yay!

Sonja was headed to Pride’s bar after work again, because the day had been long, hot, and mind-numbingly dull. She and Lasalle had spent the last week shadowing an engineer Navy command suspected of treason. Sonja personally thought the man was only guilty of having the most boring hobby imaginable: model trains. He’d spent nine straight hours painting tiny engine cars and cabooses. NINE. STRAIGHT. HOURS. Lasalle had joked that he could feel the brains leaking out of his head around hour four, and hour seven had been a massive argument about which bar on Bourbon street held the most obnoxious tourists. She was going to buy herself a beer, sit in her usual corner, and watch the band. 

The place wasn’t very crowded today, the tourist season just starting, and the local crowd thin because of the gumbo festival. Loretta had insisted that Pride spend at least one night a week not at the bar or the office, so Buckley was tending. Sonja loved when Buckley was behind the bar, because he’d keep giving them beer. Pride always cut them off after two if they had to work in the morning. She moved towards her corner, hoping that tonight that somebody’d try to give her trouble, because she was itching for some action. Nobody did. 

Lasalle was already there, leaning and casually drinking a long neck. He looked like a country star posing for an album shot. Hot, but also stupid. 

Percy rolled her eyes and slid up to the bar next to him. “Buckley! Usual please. Thanks.” She turned around to face the room again. 

“Hello to you too, Percy. Mighty nice weather we’re having tonight,” Lasalle drawled. 

“Oh, don’t be getting your panties all in a twist ‘cause I ain’t said hello yet,” Sonja retorted, still keeping an eye on the room. “We saw each other all of an hour ago.” 

“Don’t cost nothin’ to be polite, Sonja.” Chris said. “I was raised with manners.” 

Luckily, the beer arrived before she had to listen to him be infuriating any longer. The two sipped beer and crowd watched for another ten minutes, before Sonja noticed a familiar face step into the bar. Tall, black guy, with the muscles of a lineman. He meandered over down the other end of the bar, leaning over it slightly to wave Buckley over. 

His name was Ezekiel Martens, known to the ladies as Zeke. He’d been one of the most reliable sources of info back in her ATF undercover days, but since he wasn’t directly involved with the crew Sonja was, and he was a lot smarter than he looked, she’d never been able to nail him for anything. It also meant that he didn’t know her actual occupation. 

“Ah, shit,” Percy said, turning back to the bar. “Chris, I need you to back me up on whatever I say for the next ten minutes, righty?” 

“Uh, sure... “ he frowned. “Is this an old problem, or should I call for backup?”  

She nodded. “Old problem, ATF problem. Not a big thing, but be cool.” 

“I can be cooler than a cucumber.” 

She just shook her head at him and sipped her beer. 

Thirty seconds later, she felt a shiver go down her spine and turned to see Zeke staring straight at her, a little smile on his face. Dammit the man was still fine, even now that she knew he was a slimy cheating bastard. And gun runner. 

She waved a little to acknowledge that he was looking at her, then watched as he took his beer and headed straight for her. 

“Well, would ya look at what the gator done drug in?” Zeke’s voice boomed behind Sonja’s shoulder. “Kiki Adams, come here, girl. Give an old friend some lovin’.” 

Sonja turned slowly, catching Lasalle’s barely concealed laughter as he mouthed  _ Kiki? _ at her. She ignored him. 

“Hey Zeke,” she said, letting herself be enveloped in a bear hug. He still smelled good, like baby powder and lotion. 

Shrugging him off, she reached for her beer. “Long time, no see. How is Chanelle doin’, Ezekiel?” 

“Chanelle? I told you, she don’t mean nothin’. You wound me, Kiki, you really do.” His face was the picture of innocence. Lying bastard. Why was he such a damn good liar?

“Well, when a girl hears rumors that you’re running round with a friend of hers she tends to take it personally, Zeke.” She could sense Lasalle chuckling behind her back. 

“Now Kiki, I’d never do that to you, as a fine southern-”

Sonja held up the hand that didn’t have her beer. “I’m gonna cut you off right there, Zeke, I don’t need bullshit from you today. What’re you doin’ up round these parts anyway?” 

He smiled and shrugged. “Aw, you know, movin’ and shakin’ and takin’ care of business.” 

“Riiiiight.” Percy sipped her beer. 

Zeke blew straight past her sarcasm. “But I could ask you the same thing, Miz Adams, what’s a girl like yourself doin’ in the… respectable part of town?” 

Sonja was actually offended. “What do you mean, I ain’t a good enough girl to come buy a beer in a regular bar?”

She then felt an arm slip around her shoulder. “She’s with me,” Lasalle said, with just the tiniest hint of challenge in his voice, just enough jealously to sell it. Some of his best acting, honestly. 

Ezekiel's eyebrows flew about straight off his face. “With you? Homegirl done changed since I’d knew her.” His face said clearly that he didn’t believe that Kiki Adams was hitting some straight backed white boy with a ‘bama accent. 

Sonja leaned back a little into Lasalle. “Yeah I am, E-zeke-key-al,” she said, drawling his name. “What is it to you anyway? You still be chasing tail over on 12th Street.” 

Zeke looked Lasalle in the face and dropped the smile. “Because this one’s a cop. NOPD, ain’t ya?” 

Sonja looked back at Lasalle, who was twisting a little in his seat. “Previous employer,” Chris said slowly. “But like the lady said, what’s it to you?” 

Zeke looked from Lasalle back to Percy. “It just seems little Kiki here is trading up in the world, that’s all.” 

“I guess I did.” Sonja said. 

Zeke smiled broadly again. “But that’s not the only reason I came over here. Business is flourishing right now, and I’m recruiting for new… associates.”

Sonja frown and waved her beer at him. “Do I look unemployed to you?” 

“I heard about your crew, homegirl. Ain’t nobody left but you. Word is, you’re a narc, but I think you’re just a lot smarter than the rest.” 

Sonja bristled at the narc comment out of old habits, but let it lay. “Well, let’s just say I were the brains of the operation. What’s a fine upstanding businessman like yourself want with a girl like me?” 

“We’re...uh... looking to expand into the casino sector,” Zeke said, keeping a wary eye on Lasalle, who had apparently done a good enough job of seeming like a corrupted cop that Zeke felt like he could talk. 

Sonja genuinely laughed. “You’re trying to get something going at that tourist trap?” she asked, wondering what the hell Zeke wanted with Harrah’s. 

“No, we’re assisting a new establishment. Someplace a little more… exclusive,” Zeke said, his business patter unruffled. “I know you clean up nice, and a pretty face round the place could prove mighty handy.” 

Sonja could feel Chris’s fingers digging into her shoulder, probably to keep her from jumping at the asshole, but honestly she was fine, Zeke didn’t bother her none when he was saying stupid shit like this. “I think I’ll pass,” Sonja said. “Now, do you mind? My friend and I were having such a nice evening.”

Zeke grinned at Lasalle. “Ooo just friend, that don’t bode well for you. Trust me, she don’t stick around for long.” 

Percy leaned over and kissed Lasalle, long and sweet. 

She really did not ever think she would have done this on a normal day, but she was in character and there was information to extract. And the man was a decent kisser, having gained the experience by sleeping with every pretty tourist that waltzed in the place. 

She turned back to Zeke, trying to avoid actually looking Chris in the eye. “I’m sure he’s doing just fine. Now off you go.” 

Zeke pulled out his wallet. “Fine, fine, I see where your loyalty lies nowadays, Kiki.” He pulled out a business card, and flipped it over to show a number scrawled across the back in red ink. “But, if you change your mind about the job, give me a call.” 

Sonja took it from him, and turned back to the bar. She took a huge swig from her beer. 

Chris waited until Zeke was well out of earshot before saying anything. “Kiki Adams! Who thought that was a good cover name?” 

Sonja sipped her beer again. 

“That was your idea? Really?” 

She ignored that. “Thanks for playing along, Chris. Zeke may seem like the most charming man this side of the Mississippi, but the man’s one of the best smugglers in the city, family’s been around forever.” 

Chris shrugged. “No problem, always willing to help my partner out,” he sipped his beer and grinned. She knew he was trying to get her to mention that she’d kissed him, but she was an excellent undercover agent, and had nothing to say on the subject. Instead she flipped over the card.  _ Ezekiel Martens _ , it read,  _ Martens Acquisitions and Shipping, New Orleans _ . It was a nice card, real card stock and vintage font. Zeke was still doing well for himself, which meant he was probably up to something big and illegal with that casino deal. She should pass this along to the ATF…

Chris reached over and snatched the card from her hands. “You know,” he said slowly, inspecting the card. “One of my old NOPD informants has been trying to sell me nonsense on an underground casino in the French Quarter for at least a month now. Says they want a new place for the high rollers coming into town to make their deals without the tacky tourists and paparazzi over at Harrah’s. Real James Bond stuff.” 

“And this is the first real piece of news corroborating that,” Sonja finished. “I mean, it’s still hersay and conjecture…” 

Chris grinned. “Fine life of a police officer.”

Sonja gave him her finest skeptical look. “We’re NCIS nowadays, or didn’t you remember? We don’t have jurisdiction.” 

“It’s been a slow week, and since all we’ve got is speculation, it wouldn’t hurt to get some verification before we turn it over to the appropriate authorities.” 

She just stared at him for a moment. “You want us to start an off-the-book investigation? Christopher Lasalle, you’re going to get me kicked out before I make full agent.” 

His grin broadened. “You can just say I told you it was legit, Probie.” 

She rolled her eyes. “All right. I guess we’re going to start looking for a secret casino filled with all sorts of bad guys in the middle of the city.” 

“It’ll be fun,” Chris said. 

“Sure,” Sonja said. She then noticed that his arm was still around her. “You gonna move that?” 

Chris tilted his head down the bar, where Zeke was flirting loudly with two tourists. “He’s still in here. Need to keep up appearances if he’s still around.” 

She shoved his hand off her shoulder. “You don’t have to be touching me to keep up appearances, Country Mouse.” 

“He’s looking at us again,” Chris’ voice said. “I don’t know, he could be getting suspicious.” 

She turned on her barstool to face him. “Christopher Lasalle, would you please relax, I mean-”

The rest of her thought was cut off by him cupping her face in his hands. He leaned over and kissed her. Sonja wasn’t sure if the world stopped or if she’d just gone deaf, but suddenly the bar disappeared around her. 

Damn was that man good. 

He finally let her go, and looked over to where Zeke was. “Looks like he’s leaving. Coast is clear.” 

She turned and watched Zeke leave with one of the tourists, watching him all the way out of the bar and down the street. She then turned back to Lasalle and wacked him on the shoulder. 

“What was that for?” 

She crossed her arms and tilted her head. “For being unnecessary, that’s what.” 

“He was looking straight at us-”

“Fine, fine, I think I’m headed home anyway,” Sonja said, finishing her beer. “I have spent far too much time with you today.” 

She slid off the bar stool and headed for the door, choosing to occupy her head with whatever Zeke was up to instead of wondering what the hell her partner was thinking nowadays. 

**Author's Note:**

> Sidenote: I just created Zeke and already I love him, I have a problem guys. He may be back to bug Percy again.


End file.
